A kind of seahorse, native to the coastal waters of southern Australia. Phyllopteryx taeniolatus is the scientific name. It is the marine emblem of the Australian state of Victoria.
The Birch Aquarium at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, in La Jolla where this image was made, has an active seahorse breeding program. Also see the Leafy Sea Dragon image in this album. View SlideshowImage Info